Corn plants struggle to survive in a drought-stricken farm field near Evansville, Ind. Broiling heat has blanketed much of the U.S. Midwest this week, exacerbating the region’s worst drought in more than 50 years and devastating corn, soy and other vital crops.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack listens to a question during a press briefing in Washington about the drought. Concerns are growing about food and fuel price inflation in the world’s top food exporter.

Drought-stricken soybean plants struggle in a field near Princeton, Ind. The new U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday says almost 54 per cent of Indiana is in extreme drought, a situation experts say will take weeks of regular rainfall to relieve.